BOARD 8 ELECTS - Election of 1804 - Jefferson (i) (R) v Pinckney (F)

Board 8

Jefferson's hatred of taxation is going to hurt badly now that the US a)needs to exert control over the new territory of the Louisiana purchase, and b)really needs a stronger navy both to deal with irritations like the Barbary War and serious problems like the fucking British. That being said, after purchasing a huge amount of... Spanish territory from France and essentially telling the Brits to piss up a rope, I don't think a harder stance on the French and a softer one on the Brits is going to pull off very much except making the US look like a hugely feckless actor. That ship has sailed. Jefferson's cheaper approach to governing the Louisiana purchase (ie let's just watch them do what they were already doing) is probably the only reasonable action at this time.

So despite not liking his tax policy OR his foreign policy, I think this needs to go to Jefferson because of the previous choices... of Jefferson. Reversing course on foreign policy is heading into 'shit we have no allies at all' territory, since remember the US is very much a rebellious banana republic in the eyes of Europe right now. Trying to establish a strong central government with no money and expanded territory is similarly hopeless.
I'm am hungry I want some lasaga